With Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada getting cleared by MLB on Tuesday, a bidding war for the 19 year old appears forthcoming.

Given Moncada’s talent and the amount of attention he’s drawn, his pool of serious suitors is expected to be composed of teams with deep pockets. That of course includes the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are viewed as the favorite, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney:

Some other teams view the Dodgers as the strong favorite in the Yoan Moncada sweepstakes.

Due to his age and inexperience, signing Moncada would count against a team’s international signing money and for some teams, result in a 100 percent penalty tax that essentially doubles the cost of signing Moncada. Additionally, the penalty comes with the signing team being unable to enter the international market for pool-eligible players for two years.

An infielder with power, Moncada projects as a third baseman but is also capable of playing second base. Considering Howie Kendrick and Juan Uribe are entering the final year of their respective contracts in 2015, Moncada could serve as the perfect replacement for either.

While it wouldn’t be unprecedented, that would be a large responsibility placed on his young shoulders. Moncada is projected by many to sign a contract comparable to Yoan Lopez, who received an $8.2 million signing bonus from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

About The Author

Matt is a journalist from Whittier, California. A Cal State Long Beach graduate, Matthew occasionally contributes to Lakers Nation, and previously served as the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Football. You can follow Matt on Twitter @mmoreno1015